Transparency matters. Some links on this site may earn me a small commission—at no extra cost to you. These earnings help keep the blog alive and unfiltered.
Photo by MART PRODUCTION: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-in-gray-shirt-holding-brown-cardboard-8078358 / A Haven in Name Only: The False Promise of Safety When most people think of domestic violence shelters, they imagine a safe space where survivors are protected and supported. These places are meant to be havens—offering warmth, resources, and healing. But the truth is often much darker. Behind the comforting words and pictures on websites are institutions stretched thin by lack of funding, overworked staff, and outdated rules. For some survivors, walking into a shelter feels like entering a fortress of rules, suspicion, and silence. Imagine fleeing your home in the middle of the night with your child in your arms, only to be met with a long list of requirements: proof of abuse, sobriety, a willingness to follow strict daily schedules, even a background check. Suddenly, the place you hoped would help becomes another place you have to survive. The public doesn’t often see ...